♚── [ duskclan ] ──♚ [accepting!]

[tytrack]

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─────────────（Ａｓ Ｄａｗｎ Ｒｉｓｅｓ， Ｄｕｓｋ Ｓｈａｌｌ Ｆａｌｌ．）

╭---------------------╮
duskclan has lived in harmony
for a very long time; almost
too long. when duskclan's lea
der, oakstar, dies due to sick
ness, and the malicious deput
y, jaggedjaw steps up to take
his place, rumors spread that
oakstar's death was not due t
o sickness, but to murder. and
the suspect for the murder ha
d to be jaggedjaw. nobody kn
ows if the murder rumors are t
rue except jaggedjaw, and it i
s up to the cats in the clan to
decide what happens. will dusk
clan rebel against their leader
and eachother, or will they bow
down to this tyrant of a leader?
╰---------------------╯

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(one.) do not be crushes or mates with yourself. (two.) avoid having the same prefix as another feline. (three.) no powerplaying. foll
ow all basic CS and/or Tess' roleplaying rules and recommendations. (four.) realistic colors and patterns only. no seemingly "perf
ect" characters, please. (five.) post your forms on the discussion thread, not here. (six.) do not kill another character without
the owner's consent and my own consent. (seven.) no motherless kits that randomly show up to the nursery, UNLESS it is a
forbidden relationship and the kitten was kin of one of the clan's members and was taken in. (eight.) keep genders even, please. i
don't want there to be 6 she-cats and 19 toms. (nine.) pm me if you want your clan to neighbor duskclan. (ten.) follow the warrior
code. (eleven.) you will be kicked out if you are inactive for 1+ weeks without notice. (twelve.) one high rank PER user only.
(thirteen.) follow the plot. do not spam. do not advertise. have as many characters as you want. 4 sentences+ per charrie.
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[tytrack]

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XXXXXleader (1/1)
jaggedstar | ♂ | 42 m. | little fang.
XXXXXX➔ (2/9) lives left

XXXXXdeputy (0/1)
troutsplash | ♂ | 30 m. | lacke

XXXXXmedicine cat (1/2)
shrewberry | ♂ | 32 m. | B✮ᴋɪᴇ
comet-tail | ♀ | 70 m. | ā͚r̫͑t̰͌y̖͒

XXXXXmedicine cat apprentice (1/2)
leechpaw | ♂ | ? m. | wayward em

XXXXXqueens (0/3)
brightheart | ♀ | 36 m. | princesskitten
XXXX➔ crowkit | ♂ | username
XXXX➔ cinderkit | ♀ | username
name | ♂♀ | age |username
XXXX➔ name | ♂♀ | username
name | ♂♀ | age |username
XXXX➔ name | ♂♀ | username

XXXXXelders (1/∞)
raggedleg | ♀ | 89 m. | little fang.
name | ♂♀ | age |username
name | ♂♀ | age |username

XXXXXwarriors (1/∞)
frogleap | ♀ | 23 m. | little fang.
ottersky | ♂ | 22 m. | B✮ᴋɪᴇ
gingerflight | ♂ | 23 m. | messenger
hailstrike | ♂ | 35 m. | mylostshadow
kestrelheart | ♂ | 35 m. | mylostshadow
laurelnose | ♀ | 20 m. | whispers.
stonetooth | ♂ | 32 m. | princesskitten
foxbreeze | ♀ | 26 m. | princesskitten
squirrelfoot | ♀ | 28 m. | razzberry
ottersky | ♂ | 22 m. | bakie
silverbreeze | ♀ | 26 m. | kirito,
cherrylight | ♀ | 40 m. | queer deer

XXXXXapprentices (1/∞)
tidalpaw | ♂ | 7 m. | little fang.
fallowpaw | ♀ | 9 m. | Bakie
creekpaw | ♀ | 13 m. | razzberry
sloepaw | ♀ | 11 m. | teaabee
slugpaw | ♂ | 11 m. | teaabee
falconpaw | ♀ | 11 m. | bambi,

XXXXXoutsiders (0/4)
archibald | ♀ | 19 m. | wayward em
pigeon | ♂♀ | ?? m. | whispers.
rory | ♂ | ?? m. | whispers.
name | ♂♀ | age |username

XXXXXmentors & apprentices
troutsplash | mentors | tidalpaw
shrewberry | mentors | leechpaw
foxbreeze | mentors | sloepaw
gingerflight | mentors | slugpaw
frogleap | mentors | falconpaw
cherryflight | mentors | fallowpaw
stonetooth | mentors | creekpaw

XXXXXlove life
tidalpaw | likes | leechpaw
name | likes | name
brightheart | is mates w/ | ?
name | is mates w/ | name

XXXXXcamp
leader's den
medicine cat's den
warriors' den
apprentices' den
elders' den
nursery

XXXXXterritory
creek/river
hunting grounds
twoleg den

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[tytrack]

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♚（ＪＡＧＧＥＤＳＴＡＲ）♚

( gender - / male xxx( tags - / shrewberry & clanxxx( location - / camp

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Jaggedstar traipsed along the skirts of his territory, crossing over BriarClan's border as he entered his own. The clan had just experienced the loss of their former leader, Oakstar, and Jaggedstar had just received his nine lives from StarClan themselves. of course, they hadn't much approved but had no choice. Jaggedstar had been deputy, and it was his right to become leader, no matter what their thoughts of him were now. He had been accompanied by ShrewBerry, but had attempted to refuse that he enter the dreams, as he wanted no suspicion from his own Medicine Cat. He had told him that he wanted to do it independently, showing his mock of strength, but ShrewBerry was very difficult to convince. Of course, that hadn't worked, and ShrewBerry had ended up seeing the leader ceremony, the StarClan cat's disapproving tones and voices, their warnings. JaggedStar's gut wrenched with the thought of the Medicine Cat having suspicions about JaggedStar's death. He had said nothing to him as they had traveled back from MotherMouth and the Moon-Stream, but then again, his decision hadn't been to obvious to the naked eye. What JaggedStar now had to focus about was his deputy, how he would now run his clan, and to put in order the mourning souls of his clan. He had to put his clan ahead of all things- relationships or not. No more fooling around and flirting or getting easily annoyed and storming off. It was his time to lead.

JaggedStar was now half way through his own territory, traveling back to camp with ShrewBerry beside him. The traveling herbs he had received had worked well, and had kept his system going for a long time. But his paws were feeling the ache of walking so long, too. He glanced at ShrewBerry, slowing his pace to match the Medicine Cat's. The air was cold, especially at night, in leaf-fall, and he knew that it would bring sickness and more grief to his clan. "I want you and the other medicine cat and apprentices to go out searching for all of the herbs you can get. Take a warrior or an apprentice and get them all, and bring them back to camp," he ordered, lifting his head like it was a decent command. JaggedStar wasn't thinking ahead about how the herbs could all wither and die in the cold, and how it would take so long for them to re-grow if they were all picked at once. But he wasn't going to back down, not now. "And do it after I announce Deputy! No Hold ups," He added. By now they were close to camp, and JaggedStar could scent his sleeping clanmates. As he got closer, he sighed, lifting his head to show his arrogant pride and confidence.

JaggedStar breathed in, and then ran. He dove into camp with a yowl, almost a declaration of his leadership. "May all Clan cats old enough to climb on their own, gather here beneath the high-rock for a clan meeting!" He yowled, lashing his tail as he dashed towards the leader's den, clambering on to it. He stood there, head held high as he looked down at the cats exitting their dens. They had already buried Oakstar's body before JaggedStar had left, and they still looked mournful, and not to mention - tired. Dispite the look of annoyance on some of their faces, his whiskers twitched with happiness. He was finally the leader, after a long, dreaded wait. It was just as he had hoped. "Silence!" He spat, calming the chatter of the waking cats. With a lash of his tail, he began. "With the death of Oakstar comes new possibilities. More hope and more dignity to this clan.. Tonight, I have chosen my deputy," He addressed, glancing over his clan. Some of the Senior Warriors, like FrogLeap, seemed to be upset that they had not been confided to by JaggedStar, but JaggedStar didn't care at all.

He turned to look up at the moon and stars, and let out a breath. "May we take this moment to remember our warrior ancestors- and more specifically, DuskClan's ancestors. May OakStar rest in the sky above us and watch over us all, and have many great moons in StarClan," he meowed, closing his eyes. For a moment, he felt a flash of grief wave over him. OakStar had taken him in as his own son, and for that JaggedStar was grateful. He had never really known his own kin, but the thought of OakStar, his own clan leader, had taken him specifically in, was heartwarming. Not heartwarming enough, though. JaggedStar opened his eyes with a devilish smile. "Now, it is time."

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♚（ＦＲＯＧＬＥＡＰ）♚

( gender - / female xxx( tags - / laurelnose & clanxxx( location - / camp

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FrogLeap hadn't slept that night, after hearing of the death of OakStar, their former leader. He had been so welcoming and so loving, so caring to his clanmates. JaggedJaw had only been cruel and hateful, and it made FrogLeap wonder why JaggedJaw had even been chosen. Had it been a threat made by JaggedJaw, or simply because OakStar had pitied him because of his past? Then again, she couldn't help but feel a distant sense of pride for JaggedStar, her father. Her eyes narrowed as she thought, her paws twitching as she glanced around the Warriors' den. She watched her clanmates' sides rise and fall rhythmically, enjoying the sweet, yet bitter silence that came across camp that night. Nobody had much spoken since they had sat vigil for OakStar, and there was a scent of resentment brewing throughout camp. She wondered if any other cats felt the same way, too.

Her thoughts drifted off until she began drifting to sleep, but wasn't completely asleep yet. Her tail twitched and her paws did too, ever so lightly sometimes flinching and waking herself up, hoping that she hadn't kicked the cat across from her while drifting. She lifted her head, grooming her paws and drawing them over her ears one by one. She suddenly lifted her head to the sound of pawsteps approaching. It must be JaggedStar returning from the Moon-Stream, she assumed. She nodded to herself when she heard him call the meeting, and she began prodding every one of the warriors, one by one. "Laurelnose, come on! We should get the best seats up front, that way we can find out who the next deputy is," She added lowly, a smirk on her face. With that, she strode out of the den, taking a seat near the front where she watched her father with pride.

It was times and moments like these that she wished her father had remained connected to her. He was no longer very much of a fatherly figure, and never really had been from the start. She hadn't known her mother, either, which had been hard on her as a kit. But without a fatherly figure, she had grown hard and stubborn, and she had molded into a strong-willed she-cat. She was no longer the kit you once saw in the nursery, fussing over how she hadn't had enough food or play-time. She was a Senior Warrior who followed the command of the warrior code, and her leader.

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♚（ＴＩＤＡＬＰＡＷ）♚

( gender - / male xxx( tags - / clanxxx( location - / camp

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Tidalpaw had fallen asleep later that night after the vigil for OakStar's death. He hadn't cared much at all, especially since OakStar had meant nothing to him at all. In Tidalpaw's eyes, OakStar had been a weak leader who had been afraid to challenge their enemies for anything at all. Now that JaggedJaw was JaggedStar and was leading, there would be no more waiting to re-claim their stretch of river and forest that Briarclan had taken from them. After all, it had always been Duskclan territory until Oakstar had been too weak to fight back for it. He had simply given it to them when DuskClan had needed it most. Leaf-fall wasn't as hard as a time as Leaf-Bare was going to be, and even if they were decent on prey levels now, they would surely need that stretch of territory during Leaf-Bare, when there was little prey around. Especially if any of the she-cats would be kitting soon, which Tidalpaw had his strong doubts about. None of the she-cats except Leechpaw were really appealing to him at all.

Tidalpaw had dreams of himself becoming leader, like Jaggedjaw had become. A strong leader who led his clan with dignity and respect, one who had not been challenged by any clan. He felt as if that dream was so real that he could reach out and touch it if he wanted to; but his paws were always rooted to the ground like a tree's. But he wasn't just leader of Duskclan- No, he was leader of all of the clans, claiming tyranny over them all with the help of outsiders and rogues. Tidalpaw grinned in his sleep, turning around as if he were training in his sleep. With a moment's pause, he was still and silent again.

Tidalpaw lifted his head abruptly to the sound of a yowl outside of his den. Jaggedjaw had returned from the Moon-Stream, obviously. But couldn't the newly made leader have waited until dawn to announce the deputy? No, of course not, the warrior code piece of fox-dung always had to get in the way of his plots and ideas. Tidalpaw drowsily lifted to his paws, lashing his tail in annoyance. His gray and white splotchy fur was ruffled and stuck up in many places, but he didn't care enough to groom it. Once this meeting was over it was back to sleep for him. Tidalpaw glanced at his paws, looking at the blood etched along his claws, which were awkwardly extended. He must've extended them during his dream and forgotten about it. He sheathed them, blinking innocently as he looked up at JaggedStar. He would be a fine leader, yes, indeed; one who would not be like Oakstar and cause the other clans to think weak of Duskclan. Tidalpaw smirked, sitting down to listen to the announcement of the new deputy.

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♚（ＲＡＧＧＥＤＬＥＧ）♚

( gender - / female xxx( tags - / clanxxx( location - / camp

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Like all nights, this had been a rough night for Raggedleg, the only elder in the clan as of now. She was a lonely she-cat, indeed, but it had never been this lonely for her. Oakstar had been a son to her, despite being only a few decent moons older than him, and she had taken care of him since he was a kit. They had been denmates for a moon, and since then, RaggedLeg had the desire to nurture him almost as if she were his own mother. And now Oakstar was gone. Died at the riverbank, probably because of his sickness that he had never bothered to let the Medicine Cats help. What a foolish tom he had been.

Raggedleg drifted back to the memories of the times where she could walk. She wasn't born with her back legs crushed and crippled, unable to move anything; not even her tail. The constant aches in her neck and spine drove her crazy, but she'd rather live and watch her clan than suffer and die alone. She lay at the edge of her nest, peering outside of the den. She had sat vigil for Oakstar, too, but in the hidden shadows of her den. She wondered if her leader was now looking over them, and she prayed to StarClan that he was. The clan would need a lot of hope if JaggedStar were to lead over them as a tyrant, especially when he wasn't favored by most cats in the clan. RaggedLeg hadn't even noticed he had called a clan meeting at arrival until she broke away from her thoughts. She turned her head from where it lay on her front paws to stare at the newly made leader who stood firm on the high-rock. He seemed so eerily confident that it gave RaggedLeg an uneasy feeling. She sighed. "Old Mayflower would've loved seeing her son, wouldn't sh-" RaggedLeg trailed off as she glanced over to the den, remembering that she was the last of her older clanmates. Her mate, WindEar, had passed away just a moon or so ago. It felt so recent, so unsure. Mayflower had been the rogue mother of Jaggedstar, but only WindEar and RaggedLeg had known it, especially since they had also helped to take care of JaggedStar when Oakstar couldn't take him under his wing all of the time.

[deftonesly]

❝ (( ☤ ∙ ＬＥＥＣＨＰＡＷ
━ ━━━━ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ━━━━ ━
( eight m ) ( med app ) ( located den, dirtplace, camp ) ( tagged clan ) ( words 2890 )


dedication was a bit of an understatement when it came to leechpaw and her work. obsessive to the point of nearly driving herself completely nuts . . the mottled gray-and-white she-cat, even at such a young age, was determined to become the best medicine cat the likes of which duskclan had ever seen. she strove to become even better than her strict mentor, shrewberry, if it was at all possible for the molly to surpass a tomcat as talented as her teacher. the helpful little thing that only wanted to do right in an utterly imperfect, not-so-righteous world had known what she had wanted to become almost from the moment she had slid from her mother's womb. a medicine cat. but not just any ordinary medicine cat: one that was revered by all and was a figure of hope for her clanmates. the youngling could not pinpoint exactly the time when she had decided upon her future rank . . but her clearest memory was from five moons ago when one of her kitten denmates had gotten a thorn stuck in his pad. as he had panicked ( his mother had gone out to get fresh-kill and had left leechkit and him in the nursery alone ) the mottled cat had sprung into action, promptly pulling out the hooked thorn with careful teeth. and from that moment on, it had become ever clearer that leechpaw was not going to be a warrior. but that she was going to travel down a much more difficult and stressful path with the long-furred, splotched form of shrewberry by her side. she had earned favor with shrewberry due to her knowledge of what to do in the "thorny situation"; leechpaw quickly became the male's constant companion. she was always skipping out on the games of moss ball or tag or "catch the mouse" that the other kits played, much rather preferring to follow shrewberry everywhere he went. she was also always spending her spare time in the medicine cat's den, testing her comprehension of herbs versus prepping herself for combat or hunting. all of the time that she spent with shrewberry - all of her work to prove to oakstar that she wanted the position of medicine cat apprentice more than she wanted to breathe - paid off in the long run when she bumped noses with her current mentor.

indent ever since that glorious day when she had heard her clanmates' proud voices shaking the very leaves of the trees - "leechpaw, leechpaw, leechpaw!" - leechpaw had thrown herself into her work. in fact, she was still throwing herself into it to this day, as the dutiful female had a lot more to learn other than the uses of coltsfoot and yarrow. there was no time for much social interaction such as lazily sharing tongues as the sun went down . . no time for cute mollies to secretly fawn over and break the warrior code for. there was only time to better herself and her growing brain, give advice, and treat others' illnesses, no matter how big or how small. if a cat had slept on a burr and gotten the tiniest of scratches infected . . leechpaw would know and be on the case. if a cat had had their belly sliced nearly clean open by a fox or badger . . leechpaw would save their life and make sure that they got to see another day. there were many sleepless nights when she fretted about not being good enough in the eyes of shrewberry . . or in those of her fellow duskclanners. there were many days when she wanted to nibble her claws down to their roots with worry about the sicknesses that leaf-bare would bring. and in order to power through her moments of fear and exhaustion, in order to show that she was worthy of her medicine cat name, she endured and tested herself and her brain everyday. even though she had a bit of a bad reputation among the other apprentices ( they perceived her to be too much of a "goody-goody" ) . . . even though she was stung by the whispers of exasperation and amusement that met her leaf-thin ears from time to time, the mottled gray-and-white was determined to become the very best. in fact, she was determined to be so intelligent that she told herself that she would not stop learning until her brain was too big for her tiny head and dragged upon the forest floor. this was, of course, impossible to accomplish . . but she stuck by the funny thought and piously heeded it.

indent leechpaw blinked open her pale green orbs - bleary and sleep-crusted as they were - to gaze out of the den and into the rapidly strengthening light of dawn. despite the faint color that was blossoming along the horizon, the she-cat stayed where she was: situated in her nest of bracken fronds and goose down. she was bone-tired and sore from the odd training session she had had with shrewberry yesterday. the male had attempted to teach the klutzy cat how to fight, of all things, before he had had to leave to accompany jaggedjaw to his nine lives ceremony. thinking about the bigger feline pinning her . . and thinking about his paws clouting her across the head made her wryly slip into thought. let's just say that there is a reason i stay in a den all day and sort herbs. the mottled cat allowed her muzzle to angle downwards and her head to flop onto her nest again; leechpaw curled herself into a ball and wrapped her tail over her nose. then, she shouldered her way back into the blissfulness that was sleep. however, her time to escape her constant worries and stress evaded her quickly, because before she knew it a cool, gray light was seeping into the den and spilling across her bundled-up form. the apprentice began to grumble and turn away from the bright light . . and it was then that she caught sight of her and shrewberry's herbal storage. she lifted her head and narrowed her filmy eyes in order to survey the herbs; she had not taken the time to assess the stocks yesterday, and it was clear that shrewberry had not, either. the sight of the pitiful, furled-up herbs, the trampled grasses, the mushy berries, and the scattered poppy seeds instantly put the perfectionist that was leechpaw on edge and made her body tense with nerves. "i am such a foolish fool!" she growled under her breath. leechpaw stormed to her paws, shaking pieces of her nest from her body as she leaped over shrewberry's empty nest to the storage in the back of the den. with paws that were trembling, she got to work. the mottled cat sifted through the herbs with ease, quickly deciding which were on their last legs and which could still be beneficial to the approaching leaf-bare. to her disappointment, eventually, the pile of medicines that had to go was much bigger than the ones that would be keeping up residence in the den. she pushed the remaining herbs back into their proper cracks in the den's earthen wall, muttering to herself about the nosy apprentices that had surely blundered into the place and taken out half of their supplies. she must have been too exhausted last night to take notice of the disarray.

indent then the studious apprentice wrapped up the shriveled, dead herbs in a bundle of moss that was too . . . crusty to be used for bedding. she slid her slim figure through the entrance of the den, popping out into a cloudy, haunting-looking dawn. the air was crisp ( if not muggy ) and had a sharp nip to it. right in that moment, it picked up and bared its jagged, borderline frigid teeth and claws in her face. it was too . . caught between leaf-fall and leaf-bare for the shorthair's liking; it was just the right combination between warm and cold that it made her pelt fluff out against her will. it also looked like it was going to rain soon, much to the mottled's chagrin. the clouds above were massive and gray, stretched across the sky like heavily pregnant queens that were soaking up the sun. she had every confidence that the clouds were going to birth upon the clan a rainfall to remember. but she had to head out today and check her and her mentor's herb gardens. they needed replenishments desperately, and since shrewberry was absent, she would have to take matters into her own paws. blinking her green eyes against the white light and shaking her head so hard that she nearly dropped her bundle, leechpaw got to her task of disposing of the herbs. she bounded to the side of the camp and squeezed through a hole in the boundary wall, moss and herbs clutched tightly in her teeth. she then padded through a narrow, prickly tunnel within the brambles before bursting out of it and into the dirtplace. the first thing that hit her was the foul smell of fecal matter. the medicine cat apprentice wrinkled her tiny black nose, but did not wince nor shy away; instead, she trotted forward, skirting around the nasty obstacles that littered the clearing. in her short life, she had encountered countless pus-filled, angry wounds . . . had handled mouse bile and even swallowed some on the bitter occasion . . . and, of course, had seen one too many droppings in her life. so such disgusting circumstances did not affect her as greatly as they would any ordinary cat. she lifted her head, proud of this fact and the notion that she was mature, and proceeded to drop her load down at the foot of an oak tree.

indent leechpaw made haste by quickly hollowing out a hole in the earth, shoving the herbs and moss into it, and covering the hole back up. once she was through, she gazed up . . . and up and up and up into the great, autumnal-splashed boughs of the oak tree. she tilted her head as she studied its thick, rigid armor of bark . . its proud stance as one of the biggest trees in the forest. ironically enough, the oak reminded her of duskclan's former leader, oakstar, whom had died from a "mysterious disease" not too long ago. the tree had his pride and sense of security . . . and also his warmth and cheer, she noted, because the oak's leaves seemed to wave down at her. leechpaw had not known oakstar very well before he had passed on from this life, but she had heard much about him - and all good things. she was not sure what she felt for him. perhaps regret, for not trying to befriend him? it would have been smart, for if he had lived, she would have been his medicine cat. but perhaps she felt sadness? he had died youthful in the grand scheme of things; surely, he could have lived longer, lived out the rest of his days in the elders' den? however much she wanted to believe that she was regretful or pained, leechpaw knew that she wasn't. thinking about oakstar and staring into the recesses of the oak branches made her feel one thing, and that was utter horror. there were indeed rumors already floating about that the deputy, jaggedjaw, had had something to do with the fall of oakstar. something deceitful, devilish . . nefarious. something that stained the cat's name with suspicion and confusion and whispers. leechpaw was a molly that did not judge others until she knew their full story, knew the truth, but a part of her could not help to give into these rumors. jaggedjaw did seem to be a bit cold, tyrannical, and always off about something; was he hiding a secret? a horrid one? she could not be sure, and did not want to be. no way under starclan's starry maw did she want to be subjected to such evil! to be forced to work under such a brute! all i can do is hope for the best . . . and stick to what shrewberry told the clan. that oakstar died from an illness, nothing more, nothing less. i will just have to listen to my mentor until something is brought to the light. i can be patient, too, because light always wins.

indent aware that she had other things to do instead of gaze at a tree all day, the gray-and-white turned tail and darted from the dirtplace. her paws hardly avoided the dirt that laid like small mountains before her; it was hard to focus on dodging with so many thoughts crammed into her brain. eventually, though, one came to surface and it was this one: she had to perform the duties that the missing shrewberry could not. leechpaw would find someone, an escort, and would not return until she had dug up enough herbs to renew their supply. she shunted her way into and then through the thorny boundary wall tunnel, coming crashing out into the camp's clearing once more. hardly any cats were awake and ready to get up and at 'em today; as usual, she was one of the five or so cats that rose early and bedded down late. but soon after, she realized that she was wrong: the bramble screen that separated the camp from their territory began to quiver and then quake violently. leechpaw halted, watching the waving fronds of bramble with interest and mild concern. a moment later, jaggedjaw's - jaggedstar now - head broke through the brambles, with shrewberry's own mottled muzzle thrusting through behind him. the newly appointed leader streaked across the clearing so fast and with such vigor that all leechpaw could do was stare in shock. the feline bellowed at the top of his lungs, announcing his arrival: "may all clan cats old enough to climb on their own gather here beneath the high-rock for a clan meeting!" her mentor followed much more slowly, taking a seat beneath the high-ledge and the cocky jaggedstar, whom had reached the stone. she watched the two toms briefly before also bounding forward with a soft, complaining sigh; it looked like collecting herbs would have to wait until after the meeting. at least shrewberry has returned, she thought as she crossed the camp to come settle on her haunches at her teacher's furry side. that should make the gathering a lot easier - we can split the duties and the land we have to cover. but i should still take someone with me . . after nodding to shrewberry shyly and politely, she swung her round head around, casting her green eyes about in search of a mutual. of course, right then, jaggedstar continued from his place high above the medicine cats: "silence! with the death of oakstar," leechpaw flinched at the way he said this almost proudly, triumphantly, "comes new possibilities. more hope and more dignity to this clan. i have chosen my deputy. may we take this moment to remember our warrior ancestors - and more specifically, duskclan's ancestors. may oakstar rest in the sky above us and watch over us all, and have many great moons in starclan. now, it is time."

indent she was not sure if she agreed with that . . especially the first part. "new possibilities"? what good could possibly come out of the death of a fine leader and the rise of a cat that she sensed to already be a menace? duskclan was healing from a time of loss and grief and trauma, for oakstar had been a friend to many. now their new head of the clan wanted to make everything about power and glory and fame. the mottled cat shifted her feet uncomfortably, somehow managing to keep her pale, pale eyes locked on jaggedstar. he looked confident and shining with his muscles bulging and outlined in the clear light of dawn; his tail was lashing madly as if he were shooing away flies. despite his statements about how he wished oakstar well . . wished him peace . . . for some odd reason, leechpaw got a vibe of fake from jaggedstar. like he only half-meant what he was saying. and that scared her more than anything. she turned her head away from his narrowed eyes and harsh glare, revisiting her task of finding someone to go herb-hunting with her once all of this was said and done. her clanmates were spilling from the shadows and their dens; they were loping over, yawning and grumbling as they did. leechpaw wanted to take someone her age . . or someone close to it. she hated to feel compared to a cat much bigger and older than her, so even grabbing one of the friendlier warriors, such as frogleap, was a no-go. the apprentice's orbs locked onto a familiar gray-and-white, long-furred form, and her ears pricked with interest. it was tidalpaw . . a spitfire of a male that she did not know very well, but would suit well for helping her. he had a strong body and a much physically - and literally - bigger mouth than she, so he was perfect for transporting herbs. she watched the other apprentice sit down from her seat at the front of the group; he took no notice of her, but, then again, hardly anyone ever did. you are the cat that i will be taking with me, leechpaw thought as she turned back around to stare up at jaggedstar and hear what he had to say.

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( nineteen m ) ( outsider ) ( located his den, wood ) ( tagged ottersky ) ( words 1637 )


archibald started every single day of his life a curious tom. and tucked into his nest beneath the honeysuckle bush every night even more so curious with his brain raging and paws itching to discover and travel and see the sights. there was this strange drive that the curly-haired feline had . . a drive to know more. he had a hungry mind that was always thirsty for knowledge, no matter what situation he was wrapped up in. ultimately, this drive was what had forced the tan male to abandon his former, extremely pampered life as a prized purebred in order to try out the rough-and-tumble life of a forest-dweller. but nothing could have prepared the shaggily-furred beast for just how difficult it was to live in the wood with only his thoughts and the chattering of the life around him. already, and he had only been here a moon or so, his chubby form had shrunk almost drastically. even so, he was still so big and burly and cumbersome that he could scarcely catch a single thing in the crowded forest. his loss of weight, his constantly rumbling belly ( that was normally distended and full of his favorite dish: tuna! ), and the fact that he was completely alone had no affect on the regal tomcat. he was not about to return to his household, no matter how much he starved, no matter if he became a bag of bones, and no matter if he became some sort of reclusive hermit. because something was keeping him out here in the forest . . and whether that be his foolhardy mind and his desire to obtain intel . . or whether it be the realization that he was not alone out here, he did not know. it was quite possibly the latter tethering him to this place. you see, when he had been sleeping some few nights ago, he had rolled over to watch the stars from between the branches of his shelter. but instead of getting glimpses of distant balls of fiery gas, archie had glimpsed the silhouettes of cats flitting across the night sky. he remembered thinking for a moment that he really should start eating, as it was such a crazy sight that he wondered if he was disoriented and going batty. but the cats, ( as he soon discovered later were called duskclanners ), were there, jumping from tree branch to tree branch with such speed that the leaves and branches they brushed past only quivered after their legs had pushed them to another perch. they had been fleeting shapes, warriors of the darkness and of the dusk sky, and they had not noticed him. but ever since that night, archibald's obsession with the idea that there were others somewhere out here ( that probably were not struggling as much as he was, admittedly ) has only grown stronger. the tan male was determined to unearth the secrets of the cats . . . however, there was the small task of finding one of the dusk-dwellers and talking to it, first!

indent sleep was never a thing to be wasted, in the feline's opinion. so as soon as early dawn light filtered through the trees and plant life and dazzled his pelt, turning it an even brighter hue than usual, he was up on his feet with a colossal yawn tearing its way from his maw. he shot out of his nest, disturbing the drooping honeysuckles of his shelter, and emerged with about half of the contents of the bush on his hairy body; a leaf was glued to his forehead and a series of burrs clung to his rump. he bounded around the circumference of his den, shaking each of his legs and muscles loose with violent jerks and blinking the sleep out of his dark golden eyes. once he was all loosened up and fit to travel another day along whatever invisible trails the duskclanners left behind, archibald found a bare patch of grass to sit upon and promptly sat in a ray of sunshine. then he began to pry the leaf away from where it was stubbornly clinging to his head, began to comb the burrs from his hindquarters, and began to caress his whiskers and the fur along his spine, chest, and shoulders into place. the former kittypet never lost his marvelous touch and never failed to look glamorous when it came to the condition of his thick fur. clearly, there were just some things that he could never forget: one of those "things" being his pet peeve for tangled and knotted hair. after putting in a great effort to pretty himself up, he was confident that he looked somewhat presentable and handsome. he ensured this after staring down into a puddle at the foot of a beech tree, and only then did the fluffy, young male set off deeper into the forest.

indent he came this way nearly every day through the towering swaths of fern and bracken and the bundles of bramble that seemed thick enough to get lost in for moons. it was his most-used path, and, was, as he had quickly learned, the section of the forest that was the richest in duskclan's musky fragrance. of course, he had never been nervy enough to head too far into this section, in spite of his adventurous spirit and in spite of his inquisitiveness. but on this day - this overcast, damp day - for some reason archibald was feeling particularly bold . . so he, without a moment's hesitation, waltzed deeper into the forest than he ever had before. on the outside, he was sparkling and self-assured ( in a good way, because the humble cat never wanted to be associated with the word cocky for all of his days ) with his tail kinked at a respectable height and a skipping trot in his stride. however, on the inside, he was shaking like a leaf both from his awe of the wood, his fear of the unknown and what was ahead of him now, and the knowledge that he was closer to duskclan than ever before. he had only stalked through the awakening, light-splashed forest for a few moments before his fur started to snag on the bushes around him. up until this point in his journey, he had been doing a splendid job of maneuvering throughout the forest . . scarcely getting his curly coat stuck on so much as a twig. but fate seemed to catch up with him, and, all of a sudden, archibald was in a sticky situation. he had stupidly thought that he could leap over a bramble bush, but had only succeeded in getting caught on the thorny branches. he struggled rather loudly with the curved thorns that tore at his coat and managed to prick at the skin underneath it, not taking into account ( because he was, in a sense, a naïve oaf ) that he was vulnerable, wide open, and was making a ruckus for all kinds of bigger things to overhear. he eventually halted in his struggling, and for a heartbeat, all he heard was the sound of a raven from far above cawing down at him in mockery and the sound of his heavy breathing. he was still stuck, and had only managed to wedge himself further into the bramble's tendrils. then, the growl of a feline shattered the silence and shut the noisy raven and the outsider up. a sound that immediately filled the golden-orbed male with a mixture of curiosity, but mostly insane fear.

indent archibald began to writhe madly from his position in the bramble, hissing and half-crazed with his terror of whomever had released the noise from the shadows. he was caught and would be easy prey for the cat, should it choose to attack him! i am about as safe as a sitting duck! oh, what am i to do? what should i - his frantic thoughts came to a screeching halt and his waving limbs stilled in their thrashing when he caught sight of a black form slipping through the vegetation ahead. it did not reveal itself, just . . . circled. the brute's nostrils filled with the scent of this new arrival, and he instantly was on high alert. despite the lurking cat's presence, he could not help but become excited, if not wary. this is a duskclanner! i would know that scent anywhere. i have been tracking them for days, after all! i need to ask this guy or gal about . . about everything! who they are, why they are here . . how they can jump from tree to tree with such ease . . how many there are of them. and whether or not they would take in a simple tom like me! even though he was aware of how silly he looked, caught in the bramble, archie pushed his former fears aside and quickly became all questions. he meowed in his youthful voice, calling out to the stranger, "hello? is anyone out there? are you one of those . . . uh . . . clan cats? i think so, and i hope so! i am archibald, but you can call me archie." he gushed, rambling a bit in his enthusiasm and the fact that he had at last stumbled upon one of the forest cats. or thought he had. "i have been looking for one of you, if you truly are a, uhm, duskclanner! i just have so many questions to ask! i was following the scent of you and your fellow dusk-dwellers before i got caught up in this bramble. and here i am, because this was so how i wanted to spend my morning: fighting with a bush."

[teaabee]

xxxxxxxxxxx-x ᴛ ʜ ᴇ x ᴛ ᴡ ɪ ɴ s
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slugpaw: male | sloepaw: female | eleven moons | tags: leechpaw & shrewberry, p. 3

Slugpaw and Sloepaw were wrapped around each other in a ball, laying their heads on each other's bodies. They lay a few feet from the apprentice den, so as to look up at StarClan and send their thoughts to them. In and out they breathed together, swallowing the silence around them whole. They did not speak since they heard of the death of Oakstar, for it seemed there was nothing to say. After all, what should one say about death? How does one comfort the living?

Sloepaw blinked her big green eyes as Slugpaw blinked his golden ones. As Jaggedjaw - Jaggedstar, now - ripped through the clan their heads jolted up in unison. Sloepaw narrowed her eyes and flicked her ears in annoyance. She had always believed their deputy, now leader, to be too brisk and arrogant for her taste, as she and her brother were both cats of the contemplative. "Slugpaw, I think we're about to witness something very entertaining... and annoying." She didn't understand how Oakstar could see this tom to be a leader, maybe it was because Oakstar was too hopeful, too kind...

Slugpaw nodded his head in agreement with Sloepaw's sentiments, and as he responded, he disentangled himself from her, taking his sweet time to report to the high-rock, "I think you're right. Don't you just love politics?" He arched his back and stretched his paws wide in front of him, sliding down to the ground. He was attempting to get all the kinks out of his body that he got from sitting still for so long. His heart panged as he thought of how their clan would be now, with a leader like Jaggedjaw. "Jaggedstar..." I have to get used to that. Oakstar, why did you leave us like this? he thought. "Let's go." Sloepaw stood and nodded her head in response, and joined him to sit underneath the high-rock, to listen to their new leader. The twins took their places next to the medicine cat and his apprentice.

[dreaming.]

☤ Ｓ Ｈ Ｒ Ｅ Ｗ Ｂ Ｅ Ｒ Ｒ Ｙ
Tags ;; JaggedStar, LeechPaw, The twins || Mood ;; Focused || Location ;; Camp grounds/Meeting

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Laps of cold air rushed their tongues against the grain of ShrewBerry's splotched coat. His fur bristled to the unwelcome entrance of cold seeping into his skin. His body released a small tremble of resistance. The tom usually enjoyed leaf-fall the most, but he did not favor the winds they bring. The nipping wind doused him in the thought of oncoming sickness. Mumbled meows dropped from his mouth.
“Ginger, chickweed, coltsfoot, feverfew, and lavender has just died. Goldenrod, hawkweed, hedgehog buds, iris, honey isn’t available, pawpaw has ripened.”
ShrewBerry entranced himself with these herbs, repeating it in his mind like a spell. His pace slowed as he focused. The sound of leaves crunching underpaw died out. All he heard was the list he recited in his head. ShrewBerry breathed deeply. Only a few of these items should be picked by the commonness of the illness. It is unwise to pick them all up and let them wither in the den. His whiskers twitched in thought.
Leechpaw should call the shots on what should be gathered at the moment. The unfriendly Medicine Cat had warmed up greatly towards his apprentice. He poured trust into this small cat. The aspiration she carried along with the hard work she ravaged herself with reminded him of his apprentice years.
ShrewBerry was shook from thought when he felt JaggedStar brush next to him. His tail instantly dropped into a more defensive position. A hot feeling washed over his face. JaggedStar always made him…nervous. ShrewBerry wasn’t easily racked by other cats. JaggedStar reminded him more of a boastful apprentice. The haughty pride that the larger cat exuded wasn’t leader material to him. JaggedStar's actions caused him to worry for the far future of his clanmates.
Wrong moves lead to metallic smells and body counts. The memory of the leader ceremony still sat heavy in his brain. Rasp and whispers of dislikes and uncertainty among starclan. It raised his hair just thinking about it. ShrewBerry tried to drop the images. He needed to condition himself to trust JaggedStar.
What’s a Medicine Cat who denies respect for their leader? Foolish, that’s what. OakStar had already slipped from his paws and he was not about to let another go. His tail whipped once. ShrewBerry decided something for himself. He’d treat JaggedStar like a son (even if ShrewBerry was a good 10 moon younger). He’d push the arrogant cat in the right direction and voice his opinion loud and clear. ShrewBerry would also shut down those who saw ill of their leader. A clan against a leader is one of turmoil.
ShrewBerry turned his head to gaze up at JaggedStar as he spoke. The Medicine Cat let out a snort that held a mixture of amusement and irritation. So ready to call shots on things he doesn’t know; so desperate to try and lead. A retort burned on his tongue. “Respect,” he thought. “Remember to respect.”
“I’ll get the herbs I need and no more than that.” He failed. “What is needed will be got in the time of need.”
ShrewBerry watched JaggedStar bolt forward. A sigh dragged out of ShrewBerry’s throat as the new leader yowled. An apprentice he was indeed. Why did lavender have to go out of stock so soon? It was his favorite headache killer. He eased himself in his spot near the High-rock.
The scent of Leechpaw relaxed his muscles. The tense tom felt better with her companionship, even if his attempts to show it ended in failure. His harsh gaze stared down at her. A great Medicine Cat she will become in his time of death. It was the same thing his mentor said to him when she saw a dirty shrewpaw covered in berries he crushed in his sleep. ShrewBerry let out a deep exhale.
WillowCloud was always a staple who kept him in place. She was a parental figure who dominated his whole life. He bothered not to talk to any other cats but her and a pesky little LeechKit. ShrewBerry gave all of himself to this joyous but strict mentor, doing the practices she instructed until she saw it fit for him to stop. ShrewBerry had almost fell from his paws when she gave him his full name.
“Finally got the hang of those Juniper berries, ShrewBerry!” WillowCloud had laughed. He’d often see her talking with OakStar. She talked highly of their leader and he could always see why. A gracious tom OakStar was. ShrewBerry would always hide behind WillowCloud’s massive body during conversations with him. He never got to know their gentle leader well until he was left alone to fend for himself at the heart failure of WillowCloud. Even then, he couldn’t get OakStar’s stubborn self to let him treat the sickness he contained. Despair arose in ShrewBerry. He felt responsible for both of their deaths. He pushed himself away from the thoughts. He couldn’t pity himself in a time like this. He perked his ears to listen to JaggedStar, only to be disappointed.
Dignity to the clan? OakStar had blessed Duskclan with dignity already. They may have lost their stretch of the river and forest to Brairclan, but it was the best option at the moment. Fighting over it was pointless at the time. It brought more grief than it did supply of food.
He huffed in disapproval, leaning over to LeechPaw. “We are leaving soon, LeechPaw.” He said lowly. “I’m putting trust in you to gather what you think is necessary. Choose wisely, I will not give you help.” ShrewBerry rose back to his full height. “Always thinking is what you do. I bet you have already picked a cat to join us?” His hazel eyes rested on her. ShrewBerry didn’t want to be joined in this particular run. He liked to confine himself to few cats and focus on the teachings of LeechPaw without disruption.
ShrewBerry even scrunched his nose in dissaproval when SolePaw and SlugPaw sat near him and LeechPaw. He found them rambunctious at best. The bitter cat hunched over. Out of all the places for them to sit. Couldn't they be somewhere else? With TidalPaw? Gingerflight? Anyone? He hoped LeechPaw didn't associate with them. ShrewBerry looked away from the black felines. He wish he could tell her not to go near them but who is he to demand how she talks to others simply on his dislikes? By that logic she shouldn't talk to anyone.

☁ Ｏ Ｔ Ｔ Ｅ Ｒ Ｓ Ｋ Ｙ
Tags ;; Archibald || Mood ;; Curious, Anxious || Location ;; Forest

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Faint sunlight filtered through the thick tree leaves, gently dappling the forest floor. Sharp, focused eyes locked on the target ahead. A dark, sleek figure eased through the leaves with ears perked forward. The tom had exited the clan before the sun rose. The death of their aspiring leader, OakStar, left him in a state of shock. When he was young he believed OakStar could never die.
How could a cat of such high status ever stop existing on their plane of the living? Not even lions could challenge OakStar. Kittens believed in stupid thing. OtterSky was an adult now and knew anyone could die from a simple cold. There was nothing anyone could do about it. Everyone turns to ashes at some point in their life. It was a thought that sometimes distressed OtterSky.
He never wanted to die. The thought turned him to lead. What would kill him? How would it kill him? Would it be painful and long? Stressful but quick?
Rotting was not an option for him. He stiffened. But in the grand scheme of things, did these thought matter? JaggedJaw had gone off to become JaggedStar. Anxiety rippled through him. His feelings on the deputy were fleeting. If OakStar had picked him, it must have been for good reason.
Choosing a deputy, a leader fully intends on them possibly becoming leader. OakStar couldn’t have pitied JaggedStar so much he gave him a high position. The former leader had to of seen something great shining in JaggedStar. There was no other way. But still, OtterSky had his wariness. JaggedStar was a conceited cat.
Whenever OtterSky passed him, chills flew down his spin. The vibe JaggedStar emitted was terrifying sometimes. Then again, any ambition worried OtterSky. He himself wasn’t a very confident or ambitious cat. He often times wondered how cats could store up so much pride and go after what they wanted. OtterSky couldn’t find anything to be passionate about. Not his warriorship, hunting, fighting, his clanmates, his deputy, his leader, no one. OtterSky sighed. He was digressing.
“Mice,” he thought. “Just catch the mouse.”
He was surprised the mouse was even still sitting there. Ottersky pressed down to the ground, preparing to launch himself forward in a quick sweep before the loud sound of someone struggling in the bramble left the mouse fleeing. OtterSky fell to his belly in defeat with closed eyes. His ears flattened. What a failure. He hadn’t caught a single thing yet.
He stomach grumbled in hunger. Woe was him. He opened his eyes when he heard the meow of a young cat. His ears perked and his heart began to beat fast. An unfamiliar scent came to his nose.
Who was this? An intruder? OtterSky felt sick. He’d unsheathed his claws. Now was not the time to become cowardly. The long cat rose back into a hunting position.
OtterSky tried to fill himself with more courageous thoughts. “This could be someone from Briarclan,” he hissed in his mind. “If they want to intrude and scare away prey, I’ll just play cat and mouse with them.” OtterSky crept closer to his potential target. His golden eyes met a…kittypet. He rolled his eyes. How pesky. He listened as the strange cat went on about him being a ‘duskclanner’ and ‘dusk-dweller’.
The tall cat rose gently from his place emerged in the bushed ready to scare the kittypet off until he caught sight of Archibald. His heart stopped for a second. OtterSky had never seen a cat like…him. There was a word for it. OtterSky’s fur fluffed in embarrassment. The word was called pretty. “Uh,” he looked for something to say. “We are just called Duskclan cats." He said, inching towards Archibald. "Kittypets shouldn't be trespassing on a clan cat's territory.” OtterSky eyed the bramble bush that held Archibald in place. "How'd you manage to do that to yourself?"

[tytrack]

♚（ＪＡＧＧＥＤＳＴＡＲ）♚

( gender - / male xxx( tags - / clanxxx( location - / camp

JaggedStar fought for a few moment's silence as the sunlight swept over the tips of the trees. His gaze focused on the dew that clung to the walls of the dens of his clan's camp, and the dew that clung to his whiskers and the trees. He heaved a breath, vapor visible from where he had breathed warm air into cold, possibly a convection current. His gaze focused now on his clan, a warm feeling sparking in his paws. He was leader of this clan now, and he would do everything he could to keep them safe, warm, and fed. And with leaf-bare growing closer, it was getting harder to keep his head held high. Especially with the death of Oakstar, it would be hard on these cats. But JaggedStar's time had come, and he had some... plans. He twitched his ears, his gaze flicking back and forth from the cats below him and to his own paws. He extended his claws on the stone, a smirk forming on his face. "May we honor Oakstar, but may new things come out of my leadership," He chuckled, a wild look in his dark amber gaze. His ambition had been filled, but there was more to come. More capabilities meant more battles, and more battles meant more strength, in his eyes.

JaggedStar arched his back in a long stretch, a yawn escaping his mouth. He paced back and forth on top of the rock, enough so that sunlight spilled onto his back and showed off the muscles that rippled underneath his silver-gray tabby pelt. His whiskers twitched, and a glint of satisfaction filled his eyes. Of course! He must be a good choice.. He will be my deputy. With a silent pep talk to himself, he turned to the cats below, puffing out his chest with pride. A proud look filled his eyes and he smirked, eyes narrowing. "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of DuskClan is TroutSplash!" He yowled, letting his voice carry as if his warrior ancestors were guiding it along to all of the clan-cats' ears. His own ears rank as it echoed against the walls of camp, giving him an uneasy feeling at the sound of his own voice. He flicked his ears, and then, before anyone could chant the tom's name, he smirked.

JaggedStar lifted his head, a sign that would call silence over any other clan. He lifted his tail, and let out a chuckle. "When OakStar let DuskClan, he failed to fight for our rightful territory which BriarClan had claimed as their own. The stretch of river and forest beyond it are ours, and as DuskClanners it is our right to take back what belongs to us! At dawn tomorrow, we take back our territory!" He declared, lifting his tail and lashing it behind him, as if the idea was not scary.

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♚（ＴＩＤＡＬＰＡＷ）♚

( gender - / male xxx( tags - / clanxxx( location - / camp

Tidalpaw acknowledged the leader's words, his whiskers twitching at every note of the tom's voice. He admired his courage and determination, but he also disapproved how he talked about Oakstar after his death. As if it wasn't a time of sadness in this clan. He curled his lip and got to his paws, nodding to Troutsplash as he was made deputy. Congratulations. Don't ruin this. He told himself, lashing his tail in annoyance. His ears pulsed as he felt heat rush into them, but he did nothing but sigh. His claws curled into the ground beneath him as he turned to gaze around at his clanmates.

He sighed, turning to look back up at JaddegStar from where he stood. As he spoke, Tidalpaw could feel his anger constantly rising. There was something about JaggedStar that he despised, but he couldn't pinpoint it yet. The large Maine Coon gave him an uneasy feeling- almost as if the tom was a tyrant and not their leader. However, when JaggedStar said the words 'claiming back what is ours' Tidalpaw felt a smirk spread across his face. He yowled his agreement, kicking up dust as he bounced on the tips of his paws. He laughed, imagining himself plunging into his second battle. The last battle he had had been a border skirmish with BriarClan. They had tried to take back their territory before, but BriarClan had always driven them off. Not by their strength, but by their numbers. They had a lot more cats than DuskClan, but they did not have the stealth. BriarClan could fight, sure- but they would never be as good as DuskClan when it came to fighting along riversides and forest beds. Tidalpaw sighed, remembering the last skirmish. BriarClan had trespassed onto their territory- a couple of apprentices and a warrior had chased a rabbit or two over the border and were hunting there. DuskClan had easily driven them out, but they had gotten badly wounded. That was probably why Oakstar hadn't let them fight for the border again, because he was so afraid of his clanmates getting hurt. But JaggedStar wasn't seeing Oakstar's side- why he hadn't attacked BriarClan again. Too many battles meant too much bloodshed, and Tidalpaw wasn't sure if JaggedStar understood that. Tidalpaw sighed as the meeting dispersed. His tail twitched and he lowered his head, catching Leechpaw's gaze. His eyes narrowed and he lifted his head, staring back at the multicolored she-cat.

[doriengray]

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( she-cat ) ( tagged; none ) (feeling; tired, mournful ) (location; camp/meeting)

Silverbreeze had trouble falling to sleep that night. After she shared tongues with Oakstar for the last time, her mood was low, and the she-cat was not sure she was going to be able to coax her body into slumber. Oakstar was an amazing leader.. an amazing cat. His death hit Silverbreeze hard, and as she lay curled up in her nest, her eyes gently shut, her thoughts would not leave her alone. But, instead of her thoughts coiling themselves around Oakstar, they coiled around another idea. The new leader. She shivered at the thought of Jaggedjaw becoming the one she followed. Personally, the she-cat had nothing against the cat. But, something about him irked her, she was almost too sure that the tom wasn't caring enough to be a true leader. He may have the authority to get cats to follow him, but respecting him was a whole different thing. Eventually her thoughts wafted to the idea of a new deputy, and she began to wonder who it might be. There were many dedicated and worthy warriors in the clan, and she was certain whoever was chosen shall definitely help aid Jaggedjaw's leadership. Part of her knew the chosen cat would not be her, compared to the other cats in the clan, she was not worthy. Silverbreeze had finally managed to drift off into a restful slumber, but it seemingly did not last long. A yowl woke her up, and she stretched her legs out annoyingly. But, when she realised it was Jaggedjaw...Jaggedstar..returning, the she-cat nearly jumped to her feet. She left the den, following the rest of the cats to perch herself ready to listen, her tail flicking curiously.

Silverbreeze listened to the leader's voice half-heartedly. As he spoke about Oakstar, her heart lurched, but she continued to be still, to listen. When Troutsplash was named new deputy, she flicked her tail with gratitude, and was ready to chant the cat's name with the rest of the clan , but, the happiness for her new clan deputy was short lived, as Jaggedstar continued on with his speech. Silverbreeze's ears flicked back with uncertainity. And, as he spoke once again about Oakstar, and his 'failure' a twinge of anger sprouted within the she-cat's belly. And then the announcement that they were going to take back their territory was enough for the she-cat to get to her paws, her tail lashing with uncertainty and her eyes full of a new-found worry.

[Queer Deer]

C H E R R Y L I G H T

she-cat - 40 moons - warrior - single - tagged; none

Cherrylight blinked awake to the sound of the newly titled Jaggedstar yowling at the top of his lungs. Groggily she opened her eyes, rubbing at them with her paw in an attempt to wipe out the sleep. Around her she sensed her clanmates stirring. Some were already up and about, others, like herself, had been sleeping in after mourning the loss of their leader. Slowly she got up to her paws, stretching out each limp, joints crackling with the first movements of the day. She yawned once, white teeth flashing, then licked her chest to smooth down the few stray hairs before making her way out of the den and to high rock with the others. She sat by herself, as she so often did with no real friends to speak of, curling her tail around her feet and looking up at her new leader. She had never been a huge fan of the abrasive tom. He lacked the compassion that Oakstar had, which had been the leader's very best trait in Cherrylight's opinion. When the deputy was announced, Cherrylight bobbed her head approvingly. Troutsplash was a good choice for deputy, the obvious one at that, in her own personal opinion. At Jaggedstar's next words though, she felt the fur along her spine prickle. Failure? The way Jaggedstar spoke of Oakstar with such disrespect made Cherrylight's fur prickle uneasily. She shifted her weight from food to foot anxiously, this didn't sit right with her.

At the idea of a territory dispute so soon, Cherrylight couldn't help but glance around at her clanmates to see their reactions, her stomach churning uneasily. She knew better than to voice her own opinions, no, those were better left unsaid until just the right moment, but surely someone would say something to the over confident new leader- right? Her tail lashed three times as she glanced around, before curling around her tighter than before, dipping her head slightly in silent acknowledgment of their new leader's decision.

[lacke]

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(rank) deputy (age) thirty moons (gender) tom (tags) the clan, jaggedstar, silverbreeze

the black and white tom was itching for jaggedstar to get back. oakstar had just recently died and the new leader left before dusk to get his leadership title. he sat outside the warriors den, digging his claws into the ground. his tail flicked anxiously behind him, before his ear swiveled towards the entrance of camp. he turned his head quickly and spotted the new leader and the medicine cat waltz into camp. he watched them carefully, forcing his tail to stop sweeping over the ground. as soon as he made it into camp, jaggedstar called a meeting. the warrior stood, sweeping his tail over the ground once more.

he began to make his way to the highledge, surrounded by his clanmates. he raised his head above the rest, looking over each individual cat. most of them were visibly upset. if not visibly, it showed in their eyes. a pain ached in troutsplashes heart; he had to act strong for them. he took a seat, slowly pulling his tail over his paws. he watched calmly as the leader began his speech, and began to announce the deputy, before pausing. the tom paced ontop of the rock, before coming to a stop. "the new deputy of duskclan is troutsplash!" his words rang clear and true. troutsplash kept himself from flinching, but pride filled his chest. he was ready to hear the chants of his clanmates, but they never came, for jaggedstar just kept talking, beginning to talk down on oakstar. this irritated troustplash, but he held it together.

suddenly, he spoke about retaking their territory. troutsplash sat straight, shock shining in his eyes. his gaze flicked to silverbreeze, who stood up in disbelief. troutsplash slowly stood, and quickly made his way over to the she-cat. he sat besides her, drawing his tail over his paws. "it will be okay." he murmured to her quietly, not drawing attention to himself. "just sit down, we don't want to start anything."